Protein Revolution: Obtain Feed Ingredients from Wastes for Green Transition

The PROFIT project is funded by the InnovationsFond (IFD) (10 million DKK) and aims to develop an integrated technology for organic waste treatment resulting in significantly lower carbon footprint for protein animal feed production by biological methanation, nutrient recovery and single cell protein (SCP). This advanced technology upcycles wastes and transforms organic matter (food waste and residual products from agriculture) to value protein for animal feed. This novel project expands the uses of waste beyond electricity and heat production. Firstly, through a biological conversion process, waste will be converted into methane, and then nutrients such as ammonium and phosphate are extracted by a new electrochemical method. Then, both methane and the nutrients will be used as input to produce a nutrient-rich bacterial biomass with a protein content of up to 70 percent and a high content of essential amino acids. Such an innovation is important for animal production as it can replace other animal feed sources such as soy meal, which is mainly imported and has a negative environmental impact. As there are no currently efficient systems capable of integrating organic waste treatment and nutrient recovery for microbial protein production for animal feed, the original project aims to fill an important gap by developing an integrated technology platform.
In addition, this project integrates and closely collaborates with the end-users (farmers and business) and will investigate the important socio-economic and governance aspects related to this technology, such as the potential barriers and benefits for the end-users. While agriculture is considered a significant contributor to gas emissions, farmers are burdened by the costs of green transition, which affects their business activities. Therefore, this project will also investigate what shapes their perceptions about this technology as potential end-users (e.g. farmers) of the PROFIT proteinous product, the business models, as well as the necessary regulatory standards that ensure health safety and well-being of the animals and consumers.
In this way, the advanced PROFIT project will contribute to economic, technological and social aspects of sustainability in line with the United Nations Sustainable Development Goals.
The project is a collaboration between DTU, Roskilde University Unibio A/S, Knowledge Hub Zealand, Amager Ressourcecenter, and Copenhagen Municipality. Together, the partners will develop a sustainable solution for protein production from waste resources that considers economic viability, environmental stewardship and social cohesion.

You can read more about the project: https://lnkd.in/eqVXZcJW